Today, An Taisce announced the International Blue Flag and Green Coast Award recipients for 2025. The awards were presented by Mr. James Browne TD – Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage at the presentation ceremony held in the Ravenport Resort in Curracloe, County Wexford this afternoon. Bettystown Beach was awarded both award out of ten in the country.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Browne, who presented the award flags said: “Given that the Blue Flag programme is an internationally recognised symbol of high standards in water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety, I am honoured to present a record number of awards today – 99 Blue Flags and 70 Green Coast Awards.

“We’ve come a long way since the beginning of Ireland’s Blue Flag awards in 1988, when 19 beaches and 2 marinas were recognised.

“This didn’t happen by magic. Great credit must go to local authorities, An Taisce, coastal communities and particularly all those local volunteers who have worked tirelessly around the country to keep so many of our coastal areas, beaches and marinas in pristine condition for us all to enjoy.

Ms. Cathy Baxter, Director of Education and Community Action at An Taisce said:

“We were delighted to be back in the sunny Southeast once again, to present The Blue Flag and Green Coast Award Flags for the 2025 season. There are an unprecedented number of sites receiving awards this year. We would like to congratulate all the Local Authorities, marina operators and Clean Coasts groups responsible for managing the awarded beaches and marinas to the excellent standards required. I would also like to thank Wexford County Council for hosting us here in Curracloe today.”

SUMMARY OF AWARDS

169 awards presented today, an increase of 5 on last year’s number. 149 beaches are receiving awards along with 10 marinas.
10 beaches will be presented with both the Blue Flag & Green Coast Award achieving dual award status. These are Balcarrick, Donabate in Fingal; Salthill and Silver Strand in Galway City, An Trá Inis Oirr in Galway County; Fountainstown and Inchydoney Beach East in Cork; Baile an Sceilg (Ballinskelligs) in Kerry; Bettystown in Meath and Enniscrone and Rosses Point in Sligo.
Cork is the county with most Green Coast Awards in 2025, with 14 and has also the highest combined number of award flags with 27, including the Blue Flags awarded to Kinsale Yacht Club and The Royal Cork Yacht Club and 11 Blue Flags awarded to beaches managed by Cork County Council.

Blue Flag

The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised environmental awards. Originating in France in 1985 it was launched as an International programme as part of the “European Year of the Environment in 1987. In 1988, the first year sites were awarded outside of France 19 beaches and 2 marinas received the Blue Flag in Ireland. 2025 is the 38th year that beaches and marinas have been awarded here in Ireland, with 99 beaches and marinas being awarded for the 2025 season (89 beaches, 10 marinas).

The programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote sound environmental management of beaches, marinas and eco-tourism boats around the world. The 89 Irish beaches and 10 marinas that have achieved this accolade must adhere to specific criteria related to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and site management for the duration of the bathing season.

Blue Flag 2025, in numbers

A record number of Blue Flags are being awarded today in the Republic of Ireland, 89 to beaches and 10 to marinas.
The 89 beaches are a record number to receive Blue Flags in Ireland 4 higher than the previous record of 85.
The 89 beaches awarded Blue Flags represent 60% of the Ireland’s Identified Bathing Waters at the time of the Blue Flag application deadline (3 additional beaches have been identified as Bathing Waters ahead of the 2025 season). This is the second highest percentage of Identified Bathing Waters to receive a Blue Flag to date. In 2006, 80 beaches were awarded, this represented 62% of Bathing Waters identified at the time.
Céibh an Spidéal in County Galway has been awarded a Blue Flag for the first time since 2012.
Keel Beach on Achill Island in County Mayo has been awarded a Blue Flag for the 37th consecutive year, every year season since 1989, the beach has retained Blue Flag status each season since it was first awarded.
3 Other beaches have been awarded a Blue Flag in 37 non-consecutive seasons these are: Clonea in Waterford and Banna and Ballyheigue, both in County Kerry.
Kerry is the county with most Blue Flags in 2025 with 15, 14 of these are managed by Kerry County Council and 1, Portmagee Seasonal Pontoons is managed by Kilrush Maritime Ltd.
The Local Authorities with most Blue Flag awarded sites are Kerry County Council and Donegal County Council, both have been awarded 14 Blue Flags in 2025.

An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland is responsible for the operation of the Blue Flag programme in Ireland on behalf of the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE). Over 50 Countries operate the Blue Flag programme globally and more than 5.000 beaches, marinas and tourism boats will be awarded the Blue Flag this year. The Blue Flag programme in Ireland is supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Green Coast Award: A record-equaling 70 Beaches receive the Green Coast Award for the 2025 Bathing Season

The Green Coast Award recognises beaches for their clean environment, excellent water quality and natural beauty. Green Coast Award sites are exceptional places to visit and enjoy our rich coastal heritage and diversity.

An important aspect of the Green Coast Awards is the involvement of voluntary Clean Coasts groups, who participate in community clean-ups and help manage the applicant beaches in cooperation with Local Authorities. The main purpose of the Green Coast Award programme is to foster partnerships within communities in an effort to protect and enhance local coastal environs, and to celebrate the efforts of those communities.

The first Green Coast Awards were presented to four beaches in Wexford in 2003. The award was rolled out nationally in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. The 2025 season sees a record equaling 70 beaches being awarded the Green Coast Award (the same number were awarded in 2024).

In the Republic of Ireland the Green Coast Award is operated by An Taisce with the support of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Fáilte Ireland.

Green Coast Award in numbers

70 beaches are being presented with The Green Coast Award today, matching the record-setting total awarded in 2024.
10 beaches will be presented with both the Blue Flag & Green Coast Award achieving dual award status. These are Balcarrick, Donabate in Fingal; Salthill and Silver Strand in Galway City, An Trá Inis Oirr in Galway County; Fountainstown and Inchydoney Beach East in Cork; Baile an Sceilg (Ballinskelligs) in Kerry; Bettystown in Meath and Enniscrone and Rosses Point in Sligo.
Oysterhaven in Cork has been awarded a Green Coast Award in 2025, there was no application for the beach in 2024.
Port Arthur in Donegal has been awarded for the first time since 2018, due in part to improved water quality over the past few years.
Golden Strand on Achill Island has been awarded a Green Coast Award for the first time in 2025.
Cork is the county with most Green Coast Awards in 2025, with 14 and has also the highest combined number of award flags with 27, including the Blue Flags awarded to Kinsale Yacht Club and The Royal Cork Yacht Club.
Wexford has been awarded the second most with 10 Green Coast Award beaches, and Mayo third most with nine.

 

Blue Flag:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=16RKTCI092Wuk0kKj_-QFQ4uZlYktUIU&usp=sharing

Green Coast Award:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1oC_6uqUiDnBhj9v46Wvj1OxXVZq7vJs&usp=sharing